Georgia’s democratic future at stake: Russian-style ‘foreign agents’ bill threatens civil society and independent media
May 27, 2024
On 3 April 2024, Georgia’s ruling party revived the controversial ‘Law on Transparency of Foreign Influence’, which labels independent media and civil society groups as foreign agents. The move, coming just over a year after initial proposals were dropped, has sparked widespread protests once again.
Joint civil society letter to the EBRD President on Georgia’s draft law on Transparency of Foreign Influence
May 27, 2024
More than 30 international and national civil society organisations have joined the call to the President of the EBRD, Odile Renaud-Basso, to condemn the Foreign Agents Law, which is an attack on civil society and independent media and risks jeopardising their activities and the success of business operations in Georgia.
Comments on the draft Environmental and Social Policy with a focus on human rights due diligence
May 27, 2024
The EBRD’s safeguards revisions show some progress, but the Bank needs to strengthen its own environmental and social due diligence, particularly in the area of human rights, to prevent human rights abuses through early risk identification and effective mitigation.
Powering up Central and Eastern Europe: How the EU should step up
May 27, 2024
A new European Commission should build on the progress made and strengthen its support for the energy transition in central and eastern Europe.
Key trends and shortcomings in community engagement on high-risk EBRD projects
May 24, 2024
The EBRD sets out requirements for stakeholder engagement as part of project risk and impact assessments. This study reviews the stakeholder engagement practices of EBRD clients in all 34 high-risk projects disclosed between 2020 and 2024.
CEE Bankwatch comments on the draft EBRD Access to Information Policy and Directive on Access to Information
May 24, 2024
CEE Bankwatch Network calls on the EBRD to commit to better disclosure of project-related environmental and social information. This will help enhance the Bank’s due diligence and ensure early identification of risks, effective impact mitigation, and compliance with the EBRD’s commitments.
Civil society joint statement on the EBRD’s draft safeguards
May 24, 2024
Despite some improvements, the latest drafts of the EBRD’s updated good governance policies fall short of ensuring that human rights are respected and protected, especially in countries with significant democratic deficits. In a joint statement, 60 civil society organisations urge the EBRD to enhance its human rights due diligence.
More than money: Development banks must strengthen human rights safeguards
May 6, 2024
Despite environmental and social safeguards in place, projects financed by public development banks all too often violate human rights.
Georgia’s highway dilemmas and the Asian Development Bank
May 2, 2024
Despite the involvement of international partners, both the East–West Highway Improvement Project and the North–South Corridor Road Project have been marred by controversies.
Bishkek’s electric trolleybuses under threat from ADB-funded transport overhaul
May 2, 2024
In an effort to address Bishkek’s pollution issue, the city plans to purchase 120 electric buses as well as a fleet of compressed natural gas buses. However, these may replace the city’s most environmentally friendly mode of transportation – the trolleybus.
